Softwr

Restaurants · head to head

Backbar vs Sling

Backbar logo

Backbar

Restaurants

Bar inventory management with drink costing and purchasing tools

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sling logo

Sling

Restaurants

Free employee scheduling software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Backbar invoice syncing with inventory requires the top Professional plan at $129 per month billed monthly, as of August 2026; Sling the free plan is limited to 30 users
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Backbar and Sling actually diverge.

Attributes where Backbar and Sling differ
AttributeBackbarSling
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Restaurants).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Backbar

Nothing recorded that Sling does not also cover.

Only in Sling

  • Employee scheduling
  • Time tracking
  • Team messaging
  • Task management
  • Shift swapping
  • Labor cost tracking
  • Toast
  • Square

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Backbar

  • Bar inventory managementnot Sling
  • Liquor cost trackingnot Sling
  • Multi-location restaurant operationsnot Sling

Sling

  • Building and publishing shift schedules for hourly staffnot Backbar
  • Tracking clock in and clock out and labour costnot Backbar
  • Messaging and announcements across a shift based teamnot Backbar

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Backbar

  • Invoice syncing with inventory requires the top Professional plan at $129 per month billed monthly, as of August 2026
  • Pricing is charged per location, so multi-location bars pay the plan fee separately for each site, as of August 2026

Sling

  • The free plan is limited to 30 users
  • Time tracking on mobile, labour cost tracking and overtime analysis require the Premium plan
  • Kiosk time clock, hours and wages reporting, no show tracking, sick leave and PTO tracking require the Business plan
  • The lowest advertised per user rates of $1.70 and $3.40 require annual billing

Pricing, plan by plan

Backbar

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Web and mobile inventory
    • Multiple inventory locations
    • Color-coded tracking
  • Essential$79/month
    • Drink costing and pricing
    • Unlimited recipe builder
    • Unlimited audit history
  • Professional$129/month
    • Automatic invoice entry
    • Cost variance alerts
    • Unlimited reporting features

Sling

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 30 users
    • Shift scheduling
    • Time-off requests
  • Premium$2/month
    • Mobile time tracking
    • Labor cost management
    • Overtime tracking
  • Business$4/month
    • Kiosk time tracking
    • Comprehensive reports
    • No-show tracking

Which should you pick?

Choose Backbar if

  • You want to start without paying.
Backbar review

Choose Sling if

  • You need employee scheduling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time tracking.
Sling review

Questions people ask

Is Backbar or Sling better?
Neither clearly leads. Backbar starts at Free and Sling at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Backbar or Sling?
Backbar starts at Free and Sling at Free.
Does Backbar or Sling run on more platforms?
Backbar runs on Web. Sling runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Backbar for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Backbar best used for?
Backbar is most often used for bar inventory management, liquor cost tracking, multi-location restaurant operations. Of those, bar inventory management and liquor cost tracking are not what Sling is typically brought in for.
What can Backbar do that Sling cannot?
Sling covers Employee scheduling, Time tracking, Team messaging, Task management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Backbar: Does Backbar offer a free plan?

Yes, Backbar's Basic plan is free and includes web and mobile inventory tracking, multiple inventory locations, and color-coded tracking per location.

Source
Sling: How much does Sling cost?

Sling offers a free tier supporting up to 30 users. Premium plans start at $2.00 per user per month (or $1.70 with annual billing), and Business plans cost $4.00 per user per month (or $3.40 with annual billing). Both paid tiers offer a 15% discount for annual billing.

Source
Backbar: How much does Backbar's Essential plan cost with annual billing?

Backbar's Essential plan costs $99 per month when billed annually, or $79 per month with month-to-month billing.

Source
Sling: Does Sling offer a free trial?

Yes, Sling offers a free plan supporting unlimited scheduling features for up to 30 users. Additionally, Premium and Business plans include 15-day free trials with no credit card required to start.

Source
Backbar: What is included in Backbar's Professional plan?

Professional includes automatic invoice entry, cost variance alerts, unlimited reporting, and full customer support at $129 per month monthly or annual billing available.

Source
Sling: What does Sling's Business plan include?

Sling's Business plan, marked as recommended, costs $4.00 per user per month (or $3.40 with annual billing). It includes kiosk time tracking, comprehensive reports, no-show tracking, sick call-out management, and PTO management. Users only pay for active team members with prorated charges when employees are deactivated.

Source
Backbar: Is there a free trial available?

Yes, new users can access a one-month free trial of either the Essential or Professional plan.

Source
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